The Equality Tribunal has ordered a hair salon to pay €1,000 to a wheelchair user, after it ruled that she was discriminated against on the grounds of disability when she was denied access to hairdressing services.
When Ms Alison Barnes visited John Adams Hair Stylists in Santry, Dublin, she was told that unless she could get out of her wheelchair and use one of the salon chairs, she could not have her hair done.
Ms Adams had previously attended the salon and had been treated very well.
The equality officer found that the salon had provided no evidence to show that any effort was made to facilitate the complainant, nor that any special facility would have entailed more than a minimal cost.
She ordered the salon to pay €1,000 to Ms Barnes and to arrange immediate training for staff in matters of service provision to comply with the Equal Status Act of 2000.